


told you so

by Murf1307



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Lack of Communication, Team Dynamics, Teamwork, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 01:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5950765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murf1307/pseuds/Murf1307
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce Wayne knows a burnout when he sees one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	told you so

**Author's Note:**

> Frankly I'm imagining Ben Affleck Batman here and I guess any version of Clark you want works. I'm the garbage Queen.

Bruce doesn't like the new kid.  An _alien_ from Metropolis, no less, and barely out of college, brand new to the superhero game.

He makes him feel old, he supposes.  Which should be a good thing, since getting old meant he's survived everything the world has thrown at him. He's thirty-three years old this year, and he's been doing this for thirteen years.

Nevertheless, there are more important things right now -- like the fact that the kid, Kal'El, Superman, whatever he's calling himself, is burning himself out.

“Hey.” He sits down next to him.“You’re looking pale.”

Superman looks at him like he’s got three heads.“No I’m not.”

“You are.You’re clearly hurting.Stop putting up a strong front.Nobody can be prepared for you keeling over if you do it out of nowhere.”Bruce cocks his head to the side.“What’s going on?”

“If you can tell something’s wrong, I’m not doing my job.” 

Bruce shakes his head.“Don’t start that ‘symbol of hope’ bull with me, kid.Not here.Maybe to those people on the street, we’re heroes, we’re something bigger than them.This is different.”

“Is it?” he asks.“I know you don’t like me.”

“Doesn’t matter.If we’re working together, we’re working together.If you’re running on fumes, don’t I deserve to know?” 

The kid looks like a _kid_ for a minute, petulant and annoyed.“I’m _fine.”_

“Stop that,” Bruce insists.“What do you think I’m gonna do?Laugh at you?”

“No.”

“I won’t,” Bruce points out.“After all, didn’t you say I’m not capable of laughter.”

Superman rolls his eyes.“Oh, shut up.”

Bruce rolls his own.“Fine.If you won’t tell me, don’t expect me to catch you if you fall out of the goddamn sky.”

Superman doesn’t fall, and after the fight is over, Bruce is irritated to find the kid smirking at him, a little _I told you so_ thing over the heads of the crowd.

It’s annoying, and Superman is kind of an asshole, but Bruce realizes abruptly:

He’s got one hell of a smirk.


End file.
